Modular eye link conveyor belt

ABSTRACT

A modular eye link conveyor belt and method of assembling a modular eye link conveyor belt includes (a) welding a plurality of eyelets and bar links to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form at least one first module row; (b) welding a plurality of eyelets and bar links to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form at least one second module row; connecting the first module row and the second module row with a cross rod extending through the plurality of eyelets and thereby forming a first module; repeating steps (a) and (b) and forming a second module; and connecting the first module and the second module with a cross rod extending through the plurality of eyelets.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure herein is directed to a conveyor belt, in particular aneye link style conveyor belt, and more particularly to a modular eyelink style conveyor belt.

BACKGROUND

Eye link style conveyor belts have been in existence for some time andare a popular style of belting in Europe. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B,the eye link conveyor belt 10, 10′ is constructed of small eyelets 12,which may be welded onto a cross wire 13 to form segments 14 (FIG. 1B)generally 4-12 inches in width, which are then cut-down as needed andbrick-laid assembled with other components such as reinforcing/supportbars 18 (bar links) to form a row of segments and components which arethen linked to adjacent rows with hinge point connecting rods 16 (crossrods). The segments/components can be varied in pitch as well as in wirediameter.

These belts have the advantage of an extremely stable top surface andthey are durable. They are very open, cleanable and drainable which aregood for airflow and food processing. They also have excellent transfercharacteristics for top heavy or delicate products. This makes themuseful in pasteurizing, drying, frying, cooling, freezing and baking.

Heretofore, the major disadvantages of eye link style belts have beenthat the belt is constructed of a plurality of segments 14 andcomponents such as reinforcing/support bars 18 that not only make thebelt very expensive and time consuming to assemble but also make it moredifficult to splice and maintain the conveyor belt in the field. Thisdisadvantage increases dramatically as belt width increases. It alsobecomes extremely expensive and problematic to vary the surfacecharacteristics of the conveyor belt without adding extreme levels ofcomplexity and cost as well.

Accordingly, there exists a need in the marketplace for an eye linkconveyor belt that has the advantages of the prior art but eliminatesthe costs and complexity for assembly, splicing and maintenance whileallowing varying surface/engineering characteristics.

SUMMARY

The disclosure herein provides a method of assembling a modular eye linkconveyor belt comprising (a) welding a plurality of eyelets and barlinks to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form atleast one first module row; (b) welding a plurality of eyelets and barlinks to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form atleast one second module row; connecting the first module row and thesecond module row with a cross rod extending through the plurality ofeyelets and thereby forming a first module; repeating steps (a) and (b)and forming a second module; and connecting the first module and thesecond module with a cross rod extending through the plurality ofeyelets.

A further aspect of the disclosure is directed to a modular eye linkconveyor belt comprising a plurality of eyelets positioned at apredetermined spacing along a cross wire; a plurality of bar linkspositioned on the cross wire; a plurality of cross rods interconnectingsaid plurality of eyelets; wherein said bar links each include av-shaped groove configured to receive the cross wire thereacross.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

These and other features and advantages of the disclosure will becomemore readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading thefollowing detailed description, in conjunction with the appendeddrawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a portion of an eye-link style conveyorbelt as known in the art.

FIG. 1B is a plan view of an eye-link style conveyor belt as known inthe art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an eyelet according to an exemplaryembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a bar link according to an exemplaryembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is perspective view of a segment assembled from the eyelets andbar links according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a module of an eye link style conveyorbelt according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a module of an eye link style conveyorbelt according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a module of an eye link style conveyorbelt according to a further exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An eye link style conveyor belt in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the disclosure is shown generally in FIGS. 2-7 byreference numeral 100. Conveyor belt 100 preferably comprises aplurality of eyelets (eye links) 102 which are formed from a metal wireand positioned with a fixed spacing or first count along a cross wire104 by welding or the like in the width direction of the belt, a portionof which is shown in FIG. 4. One or more bar links 108 may be fixed onat least one end by welding or the like. Bar links 108 provide thetension carrying capacity for the belt 100 and they also preventexcessive cross rod and module 112 deflection. As shown in FIGS. 3 and4, bar links 108 include a V-shaped notch 109 to allow for clearance ofthe cross wire 104 to pass therethrough. That is, the notch 109 allowsthe cross wire 104 to extend the full width of the module 112 (see FIGS.5 and 6) and be welded therealong. Additional bar links 108 may be addedto strengthen the belt since the belt should be supported under the barlinks only. The rows of eyelets 102, cross wires 104 and bar links 108are joined together with cross rods 106 passing through the eyelets 102to form a module row 112 having a predetermined width.

In the standard configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, the belt width can beconstructed with any number of module rows 112 into a module 114, aplurality of which can then joined to form an integrated conveyor belt100. This allows for low cost of assembly, maintenance and splicing. Theends of the cross rods 106 may be secured with a welded buttonhead orrivet at the end of the cross rod 106, or similar means, and a washermay also be utilized therewith.

Furthermore, in a further exemplary embodiment of the disclosure asshown in FIG. 6, the number of bar links 108 can be varied in theirspacing in module row 112′ to reinforce certain areas of the belt, suchas the areas around sprocket engagement to increase the life andcarrying capacity of the belt without adding labor or increasing thedifficulty and costs of maintaining the belt.

Additionally, the spacing between individual components can be varied tofurther reinforce the belt around the sprocket areas or the bar links orto vary the open area/air flow in particular sections of belt module row112″. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the first count spacing between theeyelets 102 around the bar links 108 can be reduced to create a“densification” of the eyelets 102 in these areas, whereas the spacingin the central areas between the bar links 108 is greater. Again thiscan be done without adding costs or complexity to the end user formaintenance or splicing.

In the above embodiments, varying the spacing and type of majorcomponents welded into a full width module results in a belt withcustomized airflow, open area and tension carrying ability. A furtheradvantage of the disclosure provides the ability to vary the spacing ofthe cross rods (connecting rods) 106 along the length of the conveyorbelt. That is, the second count of the conveyor belt can also be variedbecause the belt is formed by joining of the welded modules.

The conveyor belt 100 is positively driven preferably with sprocketsacross the width of the belt. For wider belts, the use of tube drums orvarieties of this principle are preferred based on the maximum allowabledeflection of the drum. For freezing environments a specialself-cleaning sprocket is available to prevent ice buildup. A cage drumis typically used for wide belts in a freezing environment such that alarge ice buildup is avoided.

While the present invention has been described with respect to exemplaryembodiments of the disclosure, this is by way of illustration forpurposes of disclosure rather than to confine the invention to anyspecific arrangement as there are various alterations, changes,deviations, eliminations, substitutions, omissions and departures whichmay be made in the particular embodiment shown and described withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of assembling a modular eye linkconveyor belt comprising: providing a plurality of eyelets; providing aplurality of bar links; (a) welding the plurality of eyelets and barlinks to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form atleast one first module row; (b) welding the plurality of eyelets and barlinks to a cross wire having a predetermined module width to form atleast one second module row; thereafter connecting the first module rowand the second module row with a cross rod extending through theplurality of eyelets and thereby forming a first module; repeating steps(a) and (b) and forming a second module, varying a spacing between theplurality of eyelets in the first module row and the second module rowsuch that certain areas of the belt are reinforced; and connecting thefirst module and the second module with a cross rod extending throughthe plurality of eyelets to form the modular eye link conveyor belt. 2.The method of assembling a modular eye link conveyor belt according toclaim 1, wherein the step of providing a plurality of bar links includesproviding a plurality of bar links which each include a v-shaped notchconfigured to receive the cross wire.
 3. The method of assembling amodular eye link conveyor belt according to claim 1, further comprisingvarying a spacing of the plurality of bar links in the first module rowand the second module row such that certain areas of the belt arereinforced.
 4. A modular eye link conveyor belt comprising: a pluralityof eyelets positioned at a predetermined spacing along a cross wireextending across a width of the conveyor belt; a plurality of bar linkspositioned on the cross wire; a plurality of cross rods interconnectingsaid plurality of eyelets; wherein said bar links each include av-shaped groove configured to receive the cross wire thereacross;wherein said plurality of eyelets, bar links and cross rods are weldedtogether to form at least a first module and at least a second module,the first and second modules being joined together to form the conveyorbelt of a predetermined length, wherein a spacing of the plurality ofbar links in the first module and the second module is varied such thatcertain areas of the belt are reinforced, and wherein a spacing betweenthe plurality of eyelets is varied in the first module and the secondmodule such that certain areas of the belt are reinforced.
 5. A modulareye link conveyor belt comprising: a plurality of eyelets positioned ata predetermined spacing along a cross wire extending across a width ofthe conveyor belt; a plurality of bar links positioned on the crosswire; a plurality of cross rods interconnecting said plurality ofeyelets; wherein said bar links each include a v-shaped grooveconfigured to receive the cross wire thereacross; wherein said pluralityof eyelets, bar links and cross rods are welded together to form atleast a first module and at least a second module, the first and secondmodules being joined together to form the conveyor belt of apredetermined length, and wherein a spacing between the plurality ofeyelets is varied in the first module and the second module such thatcertain areas of the belt are reinforced.
 6. The method of assembling amodular eye link conveyor belt according to claim 2, wherein thev-shaped notch includes a narrower, innermost notch portion, and awider, outermost notch portion, and the cross wire and the v-shapednotch are dimensioned and configured such that only a single cross wirefits in the innermost notch portion.
 7. The modular eye link conveyorbelt according to claim 4, wherein the v-shaped groove is configured toreceive only a single said cross wire thereacross.
 8. The modular eyelink conveyor belt according to claim 7, wherein the v-shaped grooveincludes a narrower, innermost groove portion, and a wider, outermostgroove portion, and the cross wire and the v-shaped groove aredimensioned and configured such that only said single cross wire fits inthe innermost groove portion.